Ever decreasing size of electronic systems demands smaller and thinner electronic components. An electronic component such as an integrated circuit typically uses a small piece of silicon wafer. However, its final size becomes much bigger after packaging and adding contact pins. Solder balls or pads are increasingly being used on the bottom of integrated circuits or even discrete components to replace conventional metal pins and wire bonds. However, to improve system reliability, a semiconductor component (e.g., an integrated circuit) mostly needs to be packaged to provide sidewall protection and preventing cracks.
When device size is small, for example in millimeters or less, unprotected sidewalls may touch solder material and the device may malfunction. FIG. 1 shows a section of a system 100 in which a device 102 is shown as being soldered to solder pads on a printed circuit board (PCB). As depicted, due to a small size, there is a likelihood that solder material 104 may touch sidewalls of the device 102.